The Last Date
by Jess37810
Summary: Darillium has snuck up on the Doctor without him noticing and now it's River's time. And time for him to say goodbye.


Her smile was contagious, even though he hadn't an idea in the world of what she was so happy about. He hopped out of the TARDIS, top hat sitting crooked upon his head. His new suit (his other one had been destroyed when the two of them were sprayed by defabricators last Tuesday when they were trying to stop some rouge Sontarons from destroying Pluto, long story short, they got some really strange looks and almost arrested when they streaked through the streets with Plutonian's everywhere.)

River was leaning against the door frame to her (would it technically be their?) house, the blue door visible behind her. Her green dress shining slightly in the light of the moon hung above their heads. He didn't just notice the color though, mostly his attention was drawn to the amount of cleavage he could see from where he was standing, and how the dress seemed to hug her curves in just the right way. He coughed, shaking his head to clear it, thinking she was doing this to him on purpose, which, knowing River, she probably was.

"What's the occasion?" She asked, running her eyes down his form, raising an eyebrow at his clothes. "I don't know about your timeline, but it's not our anniversary. Two months Sweetie."

He shook his head, a small grin on his face.

"Isn't a man allowed to take his gorgeous wife out for no reason whatsoever?" He replied, raising an eyebrow playfully.

"Hmm, I suppose," She said thoughtfully," but only because you called me gorgeous."

He laughed, pulling her into his arms, kissing her softly. The kiss soon deepened, full of love and longing.

River pulled away, playing with the strands of hair sticking off the back of his neck. "You did say you wanted to go out right? Because if you keep this up, I'm not letting you leave the house, or more importantly the bedroom. Then again, we don't /need/the bedroom," she smirked.

He chuckled, used to her ways by now. He took her hand, leading her into the TARDIS.

"So, what're you so happy about? I can practically see you bursting to tell me," he said, looking at her over his shoulder.

She grinned. "I got the job."

"That's wonderful news, really, but it would help if you told me what the job is."

"I've been hired by Professor Lux to go to the Library; you know the planet. It's been silent for about a hundred years now and he's recently got a cryptic message about what happened."

He had just been on his way walking towards the console when he heard her and tensed, his knuckles slowly turning white from his grip on the machinery. She was going to the Library. Her time was almost up, she was going to leave him and he'd never be able to see the woman he loved again.

"When are you going?" He asked, not looking at her quite yet for the fear that she'd see his eyes which were betraying the pain he felt inside.

"In about a week, give or take," she replied happily, oblivious for once of the hurt that was coursing through her husband.

"Sounds amazing," he lied through his teeth when a thought appeared in his mind. Darillium. He hasn't taken her there yet and even if he didn't to try to prevent what was going to happen, she was still going to die. The woman who had captured both his hearts and never planned on letting go was leaving. She was letting go and she didn't even know it.

"Does, doesn't it?" She grinned, moving over to lean against him, resting her curls on his shoulder. "And you know how much I love libraries."

"You do," he said, kissing the top of her head, wrapping an arm around Rivers waist. "Almost as much as you love me," he said playfully, trying to lighten his own mood.

She swatted his arm. "Someone's modest."

"Oh, I'm just speaking the truth dear."

She laughed, rolling her eyes a bit but he could feel her smiling into his arm. "By the way you're dressed I don't think you're planning a night in," she deduced. "So, where are we going?"

All plans of taking her to that new restaurant in the 62nd century had vanished. He _had_ to take her to Darillium. He had promised after all, an even though he lied..._a lot_, he never broke a promise, not one with her anyways.

"It's a surprise," he said after a moment, kissing her cheek before moving around the console, hiding the screens from his wife.

"Aw, c'mon," she complained, pouting.

"I'm not telling you River," he said, a smile breaking through at the prospects of teasing her.

"Not even a hint Sweetie?"

"Nope."

He didn't hear her sneak up behind him until a pair of arms was wrapped around his waist and a set of lips were pressed against his throat.

"Now?" She hummed, but he didn't answer so she moved more to his front, leaning up to kiss him. She pulled on his bottom lip, working it in her own. After a minute or so, so broke away, looking expectantly up at him.

"Nope," he smirked. "But good try, that was very nice."

She groaned. "Must be someplace big then, cause that always works on you."

"Not this time," he replied, just as the brakes quieted down, signalling that they had landed.

He held out his arm for her to take. "Shall we, milady," he said, giving a little bow.

She took his arm, wrapping her other hand in the crook of his elbow. "Yes, I think we shall."

He smiled softly, leading them towards the doors and opening them for her, letting her step through first.

"Gosh, aren't we a gentleman tonight," she teased, but her tone sounded a bit surprised.

"Woman always go for chivalry," was he reply, which earned him a smack on the back of the head.

"So where'd you take me. This better not be the planet of the hats again because you're not getting another..." She trailed off, finally getting a good look at the place. Two towers stood over them, glistening like diamonds under the moon, mist swirling around the tops like clouds.

"Darillium," River muttered under her breath. "Oh Sweetie."

"I did say we'd come here one day," he said, smiling as her face seemed to brighten up. "Well, that day just happens to be today."

"It's night time," she pointed out.

"Oh hush you," he said, leaning down to kiss her.

She kissed him back eagerly, her hands clutching onto his tux.

He chuckled, and after a minute or so, broke away, wrapping his arm around her waist, leading her forewords.

For once, he'd landed the TARDIS correctly. The right time and place.

"Here we are," he murmured, as they came across a clearing. Trees stood all around them, sheltering the couple from the breeze. The light of the moon shone down, bright enough to see.

The Doctor stayed quiet for a moment, holding his finger out to tell her to keep quiet. And just as the moon reached its peak, a soft sound could be heard, flowing through the foliage and across the sky.

River let out a quiet gasp, closing her eyes, a smile on her face. Her husband looked at her in amazement, waiting on her reaction.

"I can hear the music...it's in my head," she murmured.

He grinned. "That's one of our perks of having Timelord DNA. The towers can be heard normally through ear, but they're also telepathic," he explained, tapping her on the head and she opened her green eyes. "This means we can hear them in here too."

She pulled him into another kiss, dragging his face down to hers.

"Dance with me," she whispered, breaking away and looking up into his face, already looping her arms around his neck.

His went around her waist easily like they always did.

'Last time," he thought, then shoved it away before it stuck in his head but it was too late. He could already see the first River he'd met so many years ago, the one that died and he was helpless to save. He couldn't put it into words how much he was going to hurt when she was gone. Didn't want to think about it. Had avoided the thought completely the whole time that they had been together. But when he'd been alone, sitting in the dark in their bedroom or working on the console it would sneak up on him and he'd stop whatever he was doing. Was forced to by his own body and the pain that would course through it. And Amy or Rory or Clara or whoever he was travelling with would come across him hours later, sitting or standing in the exact same posturing and would ask what was wrong. He didn't answer, he couldn't and never would. Especially not to his Ponds. If they had known that he had known how their daughter died let alone when...

He hadn't realized he was crying until River broke him from his thoughts.

"Doctor?" She asked quietly, looking up at him with concern written over her face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said, resting his face against her curls so she didn't have to watch the tears that were apparently without purpose run down his cheeks.

He was losing her

The thought made a quiet sob escape through his lips. River hummed in discontent, well, she never did like not knowing things. And this was the last one, the big spoiler. She couldn't use that phrase on him anymore, not when she didn't have enough time left to keep secrets from him. Not when there were no more spoilers to have.

The Doctor pulled his wife closer, unwilling to be apart from her even by inches, not when this is her last night. His last night.

And so they danced, for how long neither knew, neither cared to find out. They didn't need time or space or stars or planets. Not at that moment. Not when the only thing they longed for was their counterpart, the other half of their hearts.

"I love you." The words tumbled from his lips with practiced ease but to him, it was the hardest thing he'd ever said. The words tasted different on his tongue, they hung in the air, as if it wasn't him who'd said them.

River smiled into his shoulder."I love you too."

"And I always will," he said, trying to give the knowledge. The hope. That no matter how old or young his was he'd love her. "Forever."

"Forever and ever," she added, going along with him, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

"Forever and always," he corrected, using their terms. It's what they've always said to each other. Forever and always. That's how long their love will last.

"Thank you," she whispered. "For taking me here. It's beautiful."

"No, Melody Pond," he said, pulling away and pressing a kiss to her lips. "You are beautiful."

She blushed softly and he couldn't help but take pride in that. He'd been one of the few who could make her blush. The others being her parents but he was the last now.

'I could take her from here,' he thought. 'She'd never have to go the library and she'd live.' But he shook that from his head. If he did that he'd be selfish. No matter how appealing it was, he couldn't. He had to honour her last wish. He couldn't let what he died for be in vain.

After all, when you love something, let it go. And if it's meant to be, truly meant to be, it'll find its way back to you.

*My power went out today with that horribly timed spring blizzard that hit Canada, so I wrote this. And now that it's back, I can post it. Please leave your comments with the beautiful review button below, don't be scared, I won't mind.*


End file.
